Undergraduate - UnitGEN3051 - Medical and forensic genetics

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2012 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 0 (NATIONAL PRIORITY), 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Science
Offered	Clayton First semester 2012 (Day) Sunway First semester 2012 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Richard Burke (Clayton); Professor Sadequr Rahman (Sunway)

Synopsis

The study of genetics and its applications to medicine and forensic biology including genetic disorders, genetic screening and DNA profiling. Topics include cytogenetics, immunogenetics, genetic counselling and gene therapy. The impact and ethics of recent genetic advances on both the individual and society will be discussed. The unit will focus on current techniques in DNA testing both in medical diagnosis and forensic biology. Practical sessions will involve an analysis of human chromosomes and aspects of genetic counselling.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will: obtain an understanding of modern genetics as it relates to fields of medicine and forensic biology, understand the techniques involved in modern genetics and their applications to medical genetics and forensic biology, gain an insight into the principles underlying genetic disorders and the range of genetic disorders that affect humans, understand the impact of the human genome project on medical genetics and forensic biology, appreciate the ethical issues affecting both the individual and society raised by advances in human genetics, acquire skills in the analysis and presentation of data and scientific ideas in written form and oral presentations, to further develop generic skills in problem solving and lateral thinking, be able to critically analyse scientific papers in the field of medical genetics

Assessment

End of semester written examination (3 hours): 60%
Mid-semester test: 10%
Oral presentation, practical reports and genetics problem-solving exercises: 30%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Richard Burke

Contact hours

Two 1-hour lectures and one 1-hour lecture/tutorial session per week over 12 weeks. One 3-hour practical session per week over 8-9 weeks.

Prerequisites

One of GEN2041 or BMS2042; plus another six points of level two GEN, BMS or MOL units, or BTH2732